A place where I can share my thoughts, mixed media experiments, a little stitching and general silliness.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

The rag picker....

Near the end of the day at Kentwell (see below) we saw a bent figure shambling along the grass, as we watched the figure sat down with all the signs of fatigue.

After a little while she took a piece of cloth from her basket and examined it closely

She then began to pick at the cloth until she had hold of one thread which she painstakingly loosened and then withdrew it, so careful not to snap it.

Then she wound the thread round the handle of the basket.

As I stepped forward to speak to her someone who I imagined to be some sort of upper servant stopped me and told me to have a care but I asked anyway. The old lady told me she picked the threads and hoped that someone would exchange the for some bread as she was very hungry.
I know it was all role play but for a moment time was blurred, this meeting touched me deeply. It depicted the hardships of our ancestors but there are people still in the world who have to pick rags. How fortunate are we?

3 comments:

Hello Pat,What a wonderful visit you had. I have been to Kentwell,It is so atmospheric. It is a great reminder of how things used to be. in some countries I have visited there are still Rag Collectors, sadly to say.Your photos are wonderful thank you for sharing your visit.best wishes,Jane C

piccadilly circus and circles ... WOW!!
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it's been like Piccadilly Circus here this week
with work starting on a new bathroom, holes being drilled through walls
dust everywhere ... and family stayin...